Motor mount



y 13, 1967 1.. A KNUTSON ETAL MOTOR MOUNT Filed March 29, 1966 UnitedStates Patent M 3,331,492 MOTOR MOUNT Lester A. Knutson, Box 524,Wendell, Idaho 83355, and John A. Knutson, 173, Lava Hot Springs, Idaho83246 Filed Mar. 29, 1966, Ser. No. 538,383 7 Claims. (Cl. 198-208) Thisinvention relates to motor supports, and more particularly to animproved means for supporting the drive motor of a portable conveyor.

A main object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved motormount for use to support the drive motor of a conveyor, the mount beingrelatively simple in construction, being easy to install on a conveyor,being arranged to support the associated motor in a level position atall times, and being easily adjustable to change the elevation of themotor as desired and in order to provide the proper tension in the drivebelt associated with the motor.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved motorsupporting structure for use on a conveyor of the portable type, thesupporting structure involving relatively inexpensive parts, being verydurable, being compact in size, and providing a wide range ofadjustability so that the associated motor will be supported in a levelposition and at an elevation such as to provide the desired drivingtension in the belt associated with the motor and connecting the motorto the operating mechanism of the conveyor.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an improvedadjustable motor mount for supporting the electric motor associated witha portable conveyor, for example, a conveyor of the type employed forelevating bales of material, the motor support being easy to install ona conveyor, being provided with easily operated means for adjusting theheight of its horizontal motor supporting plate and for releasablylocking same in adjusted position, and being likewise provided withmeans for biasing the motor supporting plate towards a normallyhorizontal position.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparentfrom the following description and claims, and from the accompanyingdrawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary side elevational view of a portion of a baleconveyor provided with an improved drive motor supporting structureconstructed in accordance with the present invention.

FIGURE 2 is a transverse vertical cross-sectional view, takensubstantially on the line 2--2 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a horizontal cross-sectional view, taken substantially onthe line 3-3 of FIGURE 2.

Referring to the drawings, 11 generally designates a conventionalportablebale elevator or conveyor of a type having a pair of spacedparallel elongated supporting frames 12 and 13 and an endless conveyorbelt member of the chain type disposed between said frames substantiallyparallel thereto, said endless belt conveyor being designated at 14. Thechain conveyor belt 14 is provided with spaced outwardly projecting lugs15 for engagement with a bale or similar object to be elevated, theobject being slidably supported on a longitudinally extending rail orchannel member 16 which is rigidly connected to the conveyor frame andwhich is located parallel to and between the opposite elongated sideframes 12 and 13.

The bale conveyor may be similar to the Snowco portable bale elevatormanufactured by The Snow Company, Omaha, Nebr.

The side frames 12 and 13, forming part of the conventional structure ofthe conveyor comprise elongated loops of metal tubing which are suitablystiffened by spaced transverse brace plates connecting the top and3,331,492 Patented July 18, 1967 bottom portions of the loops. Thus, theframe 12 has atop portion 17 and a bottom portion 18, said top andbottom portions being rigidly connected by spaced transversely extendingstrut plates or bars 19. The opposite side frame 13 comprises top andbottom members 20 and 21 which are rigidly connected in the same mannerby spaced transversely extending strut bars (not shown). The strut barsare further connected by transversely extending tie rods (not shown), sothat the side frames 12 and 13 are rigidly united to form a unitaryframework. The endless conveyor chain 14 is mounted in a conventionalmanner between the frames 12 and 13, the lower end loop of the chainbeing engaged with a suitable sprocket connected to a drive pulley andthe top loop of the chain being engaged on an idler sprocket rotatablymounted on a transverse shaft provided at the top end of the framestructure.

The conveyor structure thus far described is conventional and in itselfforms no part of the present invention.

Designated at 22 is a transversely extending sleeve-like socket memberwhich is rigidly secured to a vertical plate 23, which is in turnrigidly secured to the inside of the side frame 12, for example, to oneof the brace plates 19, as shown in FIGURE 2, with the sleeve-likesocket member 22 projecting toward and perpendicular to the oppositeside frame 13. Designated at 24 is a transverse shaft member which isrotatably engaged through a vertical plate 25 which is rigidly securedat its top end portion to a lug 26 rigidly secured to and depending fromthe top frame element 20 and at its bottom to an upstanding lug 27rigidly secured to the bottom frame element 21. Thus, plate 25 isrigidly secured to the frame structure of the conveyor in a positionparallel to and opposite the vertical plate 23. Shaft 24 is rotatablyreceived in the sleevelike socket member 22.

Eccentrically secured to the right end portion of shaft member 24, asviewed in FIGURE 2, is a circular disc member 29 on which is rotatablymounted an outer ring member 30. The opposing surfaces of disc member 29and ring member 30 are suitably recessed to receive ball ball bearings31, so that the disc member 29 and the ring 30 define the inner andouter races of a ball bearing assembly, whereby the ring 30 is freelyrotatable relative to the disc member 29 and is coaxial therewith. Anannular retaining cage or housing 32 is provided, said housing 32containing the outer raceway ring 30 and the ball bearings 31 and beingthus freely rotatable relative to the disc member 29 which is centrallyreceived in the housing, as shown in FIGURE 2. However, rotation of theshaft 24 varies the elevation of ring 30 and housing 32 due to theeccentricity of disc member 29.

Designated at 35 is a sleeve member receiving the shaft 24 and disposedbetween the sleeve-like socket member 22 and the stationary plate 25,the sleeve member 35 being locked to the shaft 24 by a cotter pin 36.The cotter pin 36 is removable to facilitate disassembly and reassemblyof the structure, as required. A resilient arm 37 is secured to thesleeve 35, the spring arm 37 projecting radially outwardly from thesleeve and being located adjacent the plate member 25. The resilient arm37 is provided with a locking pin 38 projecting therefrom andselectively engageable in a circularly arranged series of lockingapertures 39 provided in the plate member 25 concentrically with theaxis of shaft 24. The end of arm 37 is formed with a finger loop 40facilitating leftward flexure of the arm, as viewed in FIGURE 2, so asto disengage the pin 38 from the apertures 39 when it is desired to varythe position of angular adjustment of shaft 24. When the shaft 24 isrotated, as above described, the eccentric disc 29 is likewise rotated,which varies the height of ring 36 and housing 32.

Rigidly secured to housing 32 is a depending down- Wardly flaringplate-like arm 42 arranged parallel and outwardly adjacent to the sideframe 13, as shown in FIGURE 2. Designated at 44 is a horizontaloutwardly extending motor supporting plate provided at its inner edgewith an upstanding side flange 45, said side flange 45 being formed witha pair of longitudinally aligned horizontal slots 46, 46. Fasteningbolts 47, 47 are engaged through the lower end portion of plate-like arm42 and the slots 46, 46, said fastening bolts being pro vided withfastening nuts 48, whereby the flange 45 is clampingly secured to thelower end portion of the arm 42. The position of the plate 44 may beadjusted horizontally by loosening the nuts 48, setting the plate 44 toits desired position relative to the arm 42, and by then retighteningnuts 48.

Clamped to the bottom of plate 44 are a pair of heavy weighting bars 59,50 which act as ballast means to bias plate member 44 towards ahorizontal position. Thus, the bars 50, 50 are clampingly engaged bytransverse clamping arms 51 which are secured to plate 44 by verticalfastening bolts 52, as is clearly shown in FIGURE 2. The conveyor drivemotor, shown at 54, is adapted to be mounted on the supporting plate 44.

The motor 54 is provided with a conventional output pulley 55 on whichis engaged one end portion of an endless drive belt 56, the opposite endportion of the belt being engaged on the driving pulley associated withthe drive mechanism for the conveyor endless chain member 14. By varyingthe angular position of shaft 24 and disc 29, as above described, theheight of the plate 44 may be varied, whereby the belt 56 may have itstension adjusted to the proper value required for the prevailingconditions. The weight of the ballast bars 50, t} and the weight of themotor 54 cooperate to bias the plate member 44 continually towards ahorizontal position, contributing toward maintaining the proper tensionin the drive belt 56. In addition to vertically adjusting the motorsupporting plate 44 by means of shaft 24 in the manner above described,the plate 44 may be horizontally adjusted by the provision of thehorizontal slots 46, 46 and the associated fastening bolts 48, as abovedescribed.

From the above description, it will be readily apparent that a means hasbeen provided for adjustably supporting the drive motor 54 on theconveyor frame in a manner to permit the position of the motor to beadjusted to compensate for different angles of inclination of theconveyor as well as for a wide range of various other operatingconditions which may be encountered, the adjustments in all casesallowing the tension of the drive belt 56 to be maintained at itsoptimum value while assuring stable and reliable support for the drivemotor 54.

While a specific embodiment of an improved motorsupporting structure foruse on a conveyor has been disclosed in the foregoing description, itwill be understood that various modifications within the spirit of theinvention may occur to those skilled in the art. Therefore, it isintended that no limitations be placed on the invention except asdefined by the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination, a conveyor having a pair of spaced parallel elongatedsupporting frames and an endless conveyor belt member disposed betweensaid frames substantially parallel thereto, transversely extendingsocket means rigidly secured to one of the frames and extending towardthe other frame, transverse shaft means r-otatably supported in saidother frame and supportingly received in said socket means, an eccentricdisc member rigidly secured on said shaft means, a ring member rotatablymounted on said disc member coaxially therewith, a substantiallyhorizontal motor supporting member adapted to support a drive motor forthe conveyor, means rigidly connecting said motor supporting member tosaid ring member, and means locking said shaft means in an adjustedposition of rotation relative to said other frame, whereby to adjust theelevation of said motor supporting member.

2. The structural combination of claim 1, and wherein said socket meanscomprises a tubular sleeve rigidly secured perpendicularly to said oneof the frames.

3. The structural combination of claim 2, and wherein 7 said motorsupporting member comprises a plate having an upstanding side flange andthe means rigidly connecting the motor supporting member to the ringmember comprises a depending plate-like arm secured to the pcriphery ofthe ring member, and bolt means connecting.

the depending arm to the upstanding side flange.

4. The structural combination of claim 3, and a barlike weight membersecured to the underside of said plate to act as a ballast means forbiasing the plate towards a horizontal position.

5. The structural combination of claim 4, and wherein said other frameis provided adjacent the shaft means with a vertical plate elementformed with spaced arcuately arranged apertures on an arc concentricwith the shaft means, and wherein said locking means comprises aresilient arm extending from the shaft means adjacent said verticalplate element and provided with a projection selectively receivable insaid apertures.

6. The structural combination of claim 3, and wherein said side flangeis formed with a plurality of horizontal slots and said bolt meanscomprises respective bolts extending through said depending arm and saidhorizontal slots, for adjustably connecting said plate to said dependingarm.

7. The structural combination of claim 5, and a sleeve detachablysecured on said shaft means inwardly adjacent said vertical plateelement, said resilient arm being secured to and projectingsubstantially radially from said last-named sleeve.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,280,965 10/1966 Schwerdtfeger198-208 X 3,292,772 12/1966 Rice 198-208 X EVON C. BLUNK, PrimaryExaminer.

V A. C. HODGSON, Assistant Examiner.

1. IN COMBINATION, A CONVEYOR HAVING A PAIR OF SPACED PARALLEL ELONGATEDSUPPORTING FRAMES AND AN ENDLESS CONVEYOR BELT MEMBER DISPOSED BETWEENSAID FRAMES SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL THERETO, TRANSVERSELY EXTENDINGSOCKET MEANS RIGIDLY SECURED TO ONE OF THE FRAMES AND EXTENDING TOWARDTHE OTHER FRAME, TRANSVERSE SHAFT MEANS ROTATABLY SUPPORTED IN SAIDOTHER FRAME AND SUPPORTINGLY RECEIVED IN SAID SOCKET MEANS, AN ECCENTRICDISC MEMBER RIGIDLY SECURED ON SAID SHAFT MEANS, A RING MEMBER ROTATABLYMOUNTED ON SAID DISC MEMBER COAXIALLY THEREWITH, A SUBSTANTIALLYHORIZONTAL MOTOR SUPPORTING MEMBER ADAPTED TO SUPPORT A DRIVE MOTOR FORTHE CONVEYOR, MEANS RIGIDLY CONNECTING SAID MOTOR SUPPORTING MEMBER TOSAID RING MEMBER, AND MEANS LOCKING SAID SHAFT MEANS